The New York Mets have high expectations for second year pitcher Matt Harvey after a strong rookie season, he'll get the start tonight against the San Diego Padres at 7 p.m. ET.
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Via ESPN:
The seventh overall pick in the 2010 draft, Harvey was promoted to the big leagues last July when the Mets' staff was overcome with attrition. The right-hander responded by posting a 2.73 ERA over 10 starts with 70 strikeouts in 59 1/3 innings. A lack of run support, however, left him with a 3-5 record.
New York will again look to the 24-year-old in 2013, but this time with a starting job out of spring training. And with Johan Santana undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery on Tuesday and Shaun Marcum set to miss his start this weekend because of neck pain, the team is in need of strong pitching.
The Mets got it with Jonathon Niese limiting Pittsburgh to two runs in 6 2/3 innings in Monday's 11-2 opening-day victory. Now they'll look for Harvey to follow Niese's success after a positive spring in which Harvey went 2-1 with a 2.96 ERA over seven starts. He struck out 33 in 27 1/3 innings.
"I just think that the way he pitched in spring training, pounding the strike zone, made people swing the bats, he's going to get easier outs," manager Terry Collins told the team's official website. "I've seen him get deeper into games, and with that I think he's going to win a lot of games."
